Fishing rod holder



June 21, 1949. E. .7. BENES V 2,473,778

FISHING ROD HOLDER Filed Aug. 28, 1946 I ll! INVENTOR. fawm J 55/755 HTT'ORNEY manner.

Patented June 21, 1949 I U N I TJED S OFFICE FISHING .BODTHOIJDER Edwin :J. BenesgNewbnrghHei-ghts, Ohio Application August .28, 1946, Serial. No. 693,540

(Ola- .4M

5 CGIaimS.

This invention relates to improvements fishing rod holders, and 'moreparticularly, though not in a limiting sense, to-afishing rod holder particularly adapted to be used'inthe'method of fishing by dragging a'l'iook and. line, known as trolling.

Objects oirmy inventionare to provide a rod holderinto whicha fishing rod handle-ean be quickly and easily inserted "and removed, said holder also being-adaptedto actas a brake means on a fishing line.

Other and further objects of' my invention will appear during-thecourse-of "the following description:

In the acoompanying drawings-forming a "part of this specification:

Fig. l is an elevational-view-of an illustrative embodiment of my invention, clampedto-a boat and supporting a 'fish-ingrod.

5-5 of Fig. '2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional -view*taken "on the line -6--6 of Fig. 2, while Fig. 7 is a sectional view takenonthe line 1-7 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the "numeral t0 "represents the holder generally, while a conventional fishing rod I! having a'handle I2 connected to the main body of the rod byan off-set -portion-l3 supports a fishing line 14 at its outer end; in a well known The holder 10 comprises -a holding member I 5, 'bestshown" in Figs. 2, Brand 4, made of any suitable material, havingelonga'ted body portion t6, and'an enlarged socket portion I! at one end and two parallelspacedarms w at the other end.

The socket portion l! of the holder I0 is provided with agenerall-y horizontally extending aperture l9 adapted to receive and-hold afishing rod handle l2, while a series of "oppositely disposed horizontal apertures 20 areprovided in the spaced arms-l-8at'the'opposite end of the holdenqwhich are adaptedetopreceive a split-spin '2 I servingto limit, thegextent 110i insertionofi a J {fishing rod handle 12 .in the aperture ISbyeng'a'ging a 'finger grip 2.2..providedtin the rodliandle The split pin- 21 is ad'apted to be spac'ed apart between theparallel arms I8 to function sprin liptoioclr the pin'2l in a pair of .nppDSitBiY disposed aiperturesizot A line-reel-23, *releasably-mounted-on a clip-24 secured to the off-set portion I3 of'the handle "Y2 by a set screw "25 screwthreadedly engaging a l-ug 26, serves to control the'fishing line 14 1 in a well -lrnown manner. -ber' 2'l, disposed inarcuate formation over the top A coiled spring memof the body portion 46 and secured to'opposlite sides thereof 'by'l'ngs-28, is secured to the sides of the body member It by machine'screws fl.

"*Thenormal diameter of the-coiled spring member 2 1 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the rod-"handle 'l'2 so that it flexes when the rod handle l2 is inserted therein. thereby providing a tight grip on 'the rod handle 12, and thus prevents longitudinal movement of the handle l2 in the'holder [0, when it isbe'ingmoved along the Water.

Ali-at braking spring 30, formed of spring steel or other suitable material is secured to the top :iace or thes'ocket portion "ll of the holding memberf l-tjbymeans of machine screw'3l,*=while--a "threadedstudfl projecting upwardly from'the socket'portion fl is'provide'd with awing-nutt't, screwthreaded-ly "adjustable iongitudin'ally of the stud fl to 'regulate the tension or the outer end of the braking spring 30 on the coiled fishing *line M wound'ar'oun'd the reel23. "Ihe outerend of the brake spring 30"is curved upwardly as indicated at. 'Iiie hol der l fl'is adapted to be :reliaasably fastened to the gunwa'le or other member of 'a 'boat by means of an adjustable 1 clamp 35 in an obvious-manner. The width of braking "sprmg -W such that it' 'w ill extend along'the entire Width of the iine wound on a conventional fis'hing reel spool. 'The braking spring '30 -is archedupward'ly as shown in Figs. 1, -2 and "4, for the-purpose of providing maxim-um leverage and spring action.

In'nse,"the-i'-1ol=der l fl -is' fastened to a suitable member of a boat by means of "the adjnstable clam'p 35, aconventional iocation of the holder being at the rear ofa boatused in a trolling fishing operation *withitheholder 10 tilted uppositioned in such manner that the reel 23 is mounted on the oiT-set portion [3 of the rod handle l2, with the end of the flat braking spring 30 just inwardly from the curved portion 34 resting on the line l4 wound on the center portion of the reel 23.

The outer end of the fiat braking spring 30 rests'on the fishing line H coiled on the reel 23, the tension of the same thereon being regulated by means of the wing nut 33 in an obvious manner. It has been found to be advantageous to regulate the tension of the end of the brake spring 30 so that it will hold the line H as it is bein moved through the water in such manner that it will not unwind from the reel 23. When the tension of the spring 30 is adjusted tomerely hold the line securely for the particular speed of the boat and with the desired length of fishing line payed out, the dragging of the fixed length of line continues until a strike is made. At that time the sudden impact and pull exerted on the line, due to the forward movement of the boat, would tend to break the line in the absence of spring or cushioning means. At that instant, the resiliency of the flat braking spring 30, permits a suflicient length of the line to be payed out from the reel 23, which movement will cushion or temper the impact or pull caused thereby and thus prevents the line from breaking. The same action occurs when the line becomes snagged while the boat is moving. The user can quickly detach the rod handle I2 from the holder ID by merely pulling it outwardly. It will thus be understood that the fiat spring 30 provides a brakin action on the line reel for a trolling operation and serves as a resilient cushioning means at the time of a strike or whenever the line becomes snagged. The arcuate coiled spring 21 provides a firm yet readily releasable holding means, for holding the rod handle l2 in the holding member l5.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that the present embodiment of my invention is illustrative only, and that the embodiment of my invention/may be variously changed, used or,,

modified without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In fishing apparatus the combination of, a fishing rod, a rod holder adapted to receive and hold said rod, resilient holding means mounted on said holder adapted to embrace said rod in said holder in opposition to longitudinal pulling forces tending to release said rod from said holder, a brake member mounted on said holder and extendin toward the forward end of the handle where it is adapted to rest on a line carried on a reel mounted on said handle for preventing the line from unwinding in response to movement of said rod along a body of water, and adjustable stop means adapted to regulate the longitudinal position of the rod on said holder for positioning a reel in relation to said braking member in such manner that the outer end of said member rests on the reel line, for the purposes described.

2. In fishing apparatus the combination of, a fishing rod, a rod holder adapted to receive and hold said rod, a coiled spring member extending over said holder and adapted to permit a rod to be inserted thereunder for retaining said rod in where it is adapted to rest on a line carriedon a reel mounted on said handle for preventing the unwinding of said line in response to movement of said rod alon a body of water, and adjustable stop means adapted to regulate the longitudinal position of a reel mounted on said rod in relation to said braking member in such manner that the outer end of said member rests on the reel line, for the purposes described.

3. In fishing apparatus the combination of, a fishing rod, a line reel mounted thereon, a finger grip member disposed on the handle of said rod, an elongated rod holder adapted to receive and hold a rod, resilient holding means for releasably holding said rod on said rod holder in opposition to longitudinal pull tending to release said rod from said holder, a brake member mounted on said holder and having an end portion adapted to rest on a line carried on said reel for preventing the line from unwinding from said reel in response to movement of said rod along a body of water, and adjustable stop means on said holder cooperating with said finger grip member for regulating the position of said rod on said holder in order that the reel may be mounted in said holder with the end of the brake member resting on the line reel, for the purposes described.

4. In fishing apparatus the combination of, a fishing rod, a line reel mounted thereon, a finger grip member disposed on the handle of said rod, an elongated rod holder adapted to releasably support a rod, resilient holding means into which the rod is inserted for holding said rod against longitudinal pull tendency to release said rod from said holder, a spring brake member mounted on said holder and having an end portion adapted to rest on a line carried on said reel for preventing the line from unwinding from said reel in response to movement of said rod along a body of water, and adjustable stop means associated with said rod holder for regulating the longitudinal position of said rod on said holder in order that the end of the brake member is disposed on said reel, for the purposes described.

5. In fishing apparatus the combination of, a fishing rod, a rod holder adapted to receive and hold said rod, holding means mounted on said holder adapted to retain said rod in said holder in opposition to longitudinal pulling forces tending to release said rod from said holder, and a brake member mounted on said holder and extending toward the forward end of the handle where it is adapted to rest on a line carried on a reel mounted on said handle for preventing the line from unwinding in response to movement of said rod along a body of water, adjustable stop means adapted to regulate the longitudinal position of the rod on said holder, for positioning a reel in relation to said braking member in such manner that the outer end of the said member rests on the reel line, and adjusting means for regulating the tension of said brake member end on said line.

EDWIN J. BENES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,238,127 Nissen Apr. 15, 

